The Indochina MediaMemorial Foundation

News Update

15 March 2009

Dear IMMF Friends,

As you now have learned, the IMMF as we have known it for the past 15 years will be closing its doors March 31, 2009. From the letter that our Executive Director Sarah McLean sent, you also know the reasons for our very difficult decision to call it a day.

In response to Sarah’s letter, we have received more than 450 messages from our alumni -- and many moved us to tears. They spoke of wonderful memories and friendships, knowledge gained and never forgotten, and very often regret that we are closing.

Many of you talked about the IMMF Family and Mother Sarah. Well, let’s hope that we remain a close-knit family, and Sarah, Dominic, myself and others from the IMMF Board will certainly be around to insure that we do. We also hope that all of you will retain the bonds forged through the IMMF with colleagues in our region.

``Networking’’ with alumni will in fact be one of the key tasks of the ``New IMMF,’’ which this year will begin operating under the umbrella of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. We will also be completing an advanced journalism manual, revising our widely used basic manual and exploring other ways to maintain the legacy to which all of you have contributed so much.

So this is not really a good-bye letter. It is one to thank you all, wish you the very best in your personal and professional lives and hope that our paths will cross again soon.